Skagit Audubon Society

Welcome to Skagit Audubon Programs

General membership meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm.
In person meetings are typically presented at the Padilla Bay Interpretive Center, 10441 Bayview-Edison Rd., Mt. Vernon. Other meetings may be available by Zoom only. Please check the specific program listing below for the time and location of the current meeting.

SCAM ALERT! Our monthly programs on Zoom are always FREE! Any prompt during registration on Zoom to collect any financial or payment information is a scam (and out of our control).

FEBRUARY MEETING - ZOOM ONLY

With their ability to hover in place, fly upside-down or backwards, and cross seas without stopping, hummingbirds seem immune to the ordinary laws of physics. Their jewel-tone feathers flash in the sun brighter than rubies or emeralds. Their wings flap faster than the eye can see. Their courtship flights defy gravity. These tiny dynamos of the avian world both fascinate and flummox us. Find out more about one of the fiercest birds in the animal kingdom, as master birder Connie Sidles shows you the wonders of hummingbirds and tells you how to attract them to your garden.

 Please join us for an inspiring hour filled with information and images of one of the most fascinating and beloved birds.  Connie Sidles is a master birder, and longtime Birds Connect Seattle member serving on the board and chairing the Publications Committee.  She is also a continuing education instructor at the University of Washington and is a well-known presenter for numerous Audubon Chapters.  In addition, Connie has published over 600 articles and is the founder of Constancy Press.  Connie has written four books focusing on her favorite “backyard”, Montlake Fill, aka Union Bay Natural Area, on the UW campus.

 This month’s meeting will be remote only on Zoom. No in-person attendance. Pre-registration is required.  After you register, you will receive an email with a link to sign in at the time the event begins. To attend the Zoom event, please register here: https://bit.ly/3WmYXxb. Please email programs@skagitaudubon.org with questions or if you have any problem registering. We look forward to seeing you!

UPCOMING PROGRAMS - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

2024-2025 SKAGIT AUDUBON SCHEDULED PROGRAM SPEAKERS, from Ann Kramer, Program Chair

This season we have an exciting and energetic group of speakers with expertise on a range of issues and how bird populations are affected by natural occurrences and  human behavior.  Please note this schedule may be subject to change.

March 11, 2025: Jeff Kozma, White-headed Woodpecker, 20 Years of Research on the White-headed Woodpecker.  Always an energetic presenter, Jeff will share his information about nest-site characteristics, reproductive success, adult longevity and more from his 22-year study and banding of this fascinating species of concern. Zoom

April 8, 2025:  Steve Hampton, How Birds are Responding, and Sometimes not Responding to Rapid Climate Change  Steve will discuss the recent research gathered from the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) and North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) to explore what changes are already happening for birds, with a focus on the PNW, including how birds are shifting migration paths, timing of migration, physically evolving to adapt and how some are unable to cope with rapid climate shifts. Zoom

May 13, 2025: Dr. Christopher Tonra, Ohio State University.  American Dipper and Salmon Restoration: How Barriers to Salmon Migration Change Everything for a Songbird. Dr. Tonra will share his research on the impact salmon have on the survival, reproduction, body condition, and behavior of the American Dipper, as well as how they are impacted by dam removal.  Zoom

June 10, 2025: Our year end member program.  Stay tuned for more information!!!! In Person

Legacy Program Recordings:

January 2025: The recording of the Jan. program, “Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest”, presented by Julie Zickefoose is now available for viewing here: https://youtu.be/HEaEKDFxQTc

November 2024 :  If you missed the Nov. 12th presentation “Adaptive Estuary Restoration of the Port Susan Bay Reserve” by Amber Parmenter, Stewardship Manager for The Nature Conservancy, it may be viewed at the following link:  https://youtu.be/rnZmw9oRJ0U Please also see this short fact sheet on the restoration project at the Port Susan Bay Reserve.

https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/port-susan-bay-fact-sheet.pdf

May 2024 Pacific Flyway Shorebird Conservation by River Gates